Aide: Rand Paul Egypt plan could get vote

The Senate might vote this week on a proposal from Sen. Rand Paul that would cut U.S. aid to Egypt, sources said.

Paul (R-Ky.) “could very well get a floor vote this week” on his amendment to a transportation and housing spending bill, said a Democratic aide, who is involved in the amendment process. The measure would redirect Egypt’s $1.5 billion in annual U.S. aid to crumbling domestic bridges and was the first floor amendment filed to the bill, submitted on Tuesday morning.

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Hawkish Senate Republicans could still object to a vote, but the aide deemed the chances for a vote on the amendment before the Senate breaks for summer recess “better than even.” There is also the possibility Paul will instead get a vote on his standalone bill to cut off aid to Egypt, another source said.

Democrats believe a vote on Egypt would be difficult for Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a long-time defender of foreign aid. A McConnell spokesman declined comment. When asked several weeks ago about his position on assistance to Egypt, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Obama administration is taking a look at aid but declined further comment. The administration has delayed a sale of four fighter jets to Egypt in recent days, however.

“It’ll be a tough vote for everyone but probably a lot tougher for Republicans given their brewing civil war over foreign policy,” the Democratic aide said, a reference to continued sniping between Paul and hawkish Republicans over national security priorities. If the amendment gets a vote, it will come just days after the Egyptian military fired on and killed dozens of pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters.

Top Senate foreign policy voices like Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Carl Levin (D-Mich.) have called for a suspension of aid to Egypt in the wake of the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi by the Egyptian military. They argue that a coup occurred in Egypt, a designation that would result in a loss of aid from the U.S. and one that the Obama administration has declined to make.